It's 2025 and Linux is leading the way, but I still have a question!
It's 2025 and Linux is leading the way, but I still have a question!
This Linux experience offers a wide variety of options, making it hard to pinpoint exactly what you need. You’re asking just a few more things: if you download the site at linuxmint.com, would that cover everything for gaming, video recording, editing, and music? How does Wayland compare to X11 in terms of performance? Are there real differences between Cinnamon, XFCE, and Mate interfaces? I think Cinnamon is generally the most complete and user-friendly, though I’m not sure. Also, it’s confusing to hear that Nvidia isn’t well supported, even though some videos claim otherwise—usually it works with X11. Finally, can you run Steam, Epic Games Launcher, and Battlenet on this Linux Mint version? I noticed no specific info about Battlenet, but Overwatch seems to work fine.
When using a NVIDIA GPU, you'll need to activate Linux Mint's Additional Driver tool after installation. Follow the guidance provided on this site to correctly configure Wine, https://www.gloriouseggroll.tv/how-to-ge...ency-hell/. Even if you don't intend to run a system version of Wine, it's still important to include all its dependencies for Proton and other Wine projects.
Note: The referenced guide has become outdated. For Linux Mint 21.3, the instructions should be applicable since it builds on Ubuntu 22.04 LTS Jammy.
Sudo dpkg --add-architecture i386 wget -nc https://dl.winehq.org/wine-builds/winehq.key sudo apt-key add winehq.key sudo apt-add-repository 'deb https://dl.winehq.org/wine-builds/ubuntu/ jammy main' sudo apt update sudo apt install --install-recommends winehq-staging sudo apt install winetricks Steam for Steam. Enable Steam Play (Proton) in Settings. Obtain from the Steam Site.
For Flatpak and Snap, they are not recommended by Valve due to support issues. Heroic Games Launcher supports Epic, GOG, and Amazon; use its GUI to install Wine. Lutris works well for most Windows applications. Make sure your games function properly—tomorrow's performance isn't guaranteed.
https://areweanticheatyet.com/ https://www.protondb.com/
Also keep in mind that gaming inside a VM is increasingly discouraged. They rely on outdated display protocols like X11, which are fragile and often require workarounds. Until Wayland becomes more stable, transitioning to it may be necessary.
Wayland is a modern display protocol offering better security but poses challenges for NVIDIA hardware. If you encounter problems, try the X Session as an alternative. Not all applications support Wayland correctly, and some have shifted their dependencies.
Cinnamon is based on GNOME 3 and is part of the Linux Mint project, making it a solid choice if you stick with Mint. It's complex, but it's your best bet for most users.
NVIDIA primarily supports Workstation/Server hardware and has historically overlooked desktop development. Their drivers are often limited to Mesa (Intel/AMD), while proprietary solutions like Sway are unsupported. If you're using Linux Mint, this is likely the optimal path.
For more details on HDR support in KDE Plasma 6, it seems dependent on Wayland. Multi-monitor refresh rates also rely on it. Without current support, sticking to GNOME or KDE remains the safest route.
If you decide to go with Steam, be aware that NVIDIA has had issues with Bigscreen on their devices since the Steam Deck launch. However, recent efforts by the company suggest improvements.
The open-source driver is still evolving; it may become more reliable in the future if they continue investing in it. The choice between Open Source and proprietary drivers often comes down to stability, support, and compatibility with your specific hardware.
Thank you for the clear explanation. I think I’m getting a better grasp now. I’ll likely test Mint in the next couple of weeks once I can secure more space or manage an existing one. It seems more straightforward than any guide I might find, and since dual-booting isn’t practical for me, Mint looks like a solid choice. I’m okay with it not being a full Windows 10 tablet version either. Starting with something familiar will help.
This appearance on Windows 8/XP suits me better with KDE or XFCE and exploring themes from Pling.com using keywords like "windows 8 or XP". On Linux Mint you might need to remove the default desktop environment since updating everything on Cinnamon can be overwhelming; I recommend Debian or Fedora for a more advanced setup. Also, consider dual booting on two drives so Windows doesn’t interfere with your Linux installation, which usually doesn’t happen.
I attempted to install Overwatch from Steam but encountered issues starting the game. Successfully installed it through Lutris, which functioned perfectly. My system uses an AMD GPU, causing some shader loading delays. I’m not entirely certain about the NVIDIA GPU concern mentioned, but I’m using POP!_OS and haven’t faced significant setup problems.
I attempted five different versions of proton. I also tried using flatpak, .deb from Steam, but nothing worked for me. The game would install, but when I click play it tries to launch again after a few seconds. After some research, I couldn't find a solution. I recalled playing OW1 on Lutris and a quick search helped me set it up. However, after deleting Steam and reinstalling OW2 via Lutris, I searched again and found that disabling secure boot in the BIOS might be necessary for the game to start. This could be similar to my situation, but I didn't want to restart my PC or worry about Steam since it's my only game right now.
Your GPU doesn't have Vulkan built-in, so you must update the kernel drivers to AMD GPU. Refer to the AMDGPU documentation for details: https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/AMDGPU#Loading. Also, ensure you don’t have amdvlk or lib32-amdvlk installed. This advice came from @Ralphred and was also mentioned in a Reddit discussion.
I just verified the situation. It looks like you don’t have amdvlk or lib32-amdvlk installed. I confirmed this by running the command `dpkg -l | grep "As for what drivers I'm using, command "lshw -c video""`. The output shows it’s using `amdgpu`. That should be the correct driver version you’re using. Let me know if you need help installing or checking anything else.